“Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night” copyright Nikki Smith. Inspired by The Beatles’ song lyrics. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.” I’ve had this song by The Beatles reverberating through my soul for months and now I can …

I was honored to be able to create this artwork celebrating the life of Deanna, who was a native New Yorker residing in LA as a professional dancer, choreographer and educator. She deeply impacted others with her unconditional love, vivacious spirit, animated humor, contagious laugh, and a generosity that knew no limits. This artwork was unveiled for the first time …

I was happy to find out recently another way that my artwork really connects with music lovers: when paired with their favorite song lyrics or an inspirational quote. I discovered a very popular meme of my artwork paired with the lyrics to “Drift Away” (written by Mentor Williams, made famous by Dobie Gray and covered by tons of amazing musicians and bands.) …

As part of my ongoing attempt to improve the lives of my fellow artists, here are some resources I personally find invaluable. I will continue to add more to this list over time, so do check back or let me know in the comments what you would like to see added. Copyright Information for Artists: Your artwork is copyrighted …

I’m happy when someone responsibly pins or shares my artwork on a social network with proper attribution and a link to my website – that makes my day! However, when I stumble across someone using my artwork in a way that violates my copyrights, such as selling illegal hand-painted reproductions, it’s time for action. This is an example of a …